Vietnamese Egg Coffee Milkshake

Name: Vietnamese Egg Coffee Milkshake
Prep time: 12 min
Cook time: 6 min
Total time: 18 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients: ½ cup (120 ml) very strong brewed coffee (Vietnamese dark roast, phin or espresso), brewed and fully chilled; 3 yolks (54 g) large egg yolks, at room temperature, whites discarded or saved for another use; 4 tablespoons (80 g) sweetened condensed milk; ⅛ teaspoon (0.7 g) fine salt; 2 cups (about 4 scoops) (280 g) vanilla ice cream, frozen but slightly softened, 3–5 minutes out of the freezer; ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk, cold; ¾ cup (100 g) ice cubes; ½ teaspoon (2½ ml) vanilla extract; 1 teaspoon (2 g) unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A frosty milkshake inspired by Hanoi's cà phê trứng: strong coffee, a silky yolk-and-condensed-milk custard, and vanilla ice cream blended into a thick, creamy sip that tastes like tiramisu in a glass. The yolks are gently heated so the shake is safe to drink.

Prep: 12 min
Cook: 6 min
Wait: 30 min
Total: 48 min
Makes: 2 milkshakes (about 12 oz / 350 ml each)

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Ingredients

2 servings

For the shake
½ cup (120 ml) very strong brewed coffee (Vietnamese dark roast, phin or espresso), brewed and fully chilled
3 yolks (54 g) large egg yolks, at room temperature, whites discarded or saved for another use
4 tablespoons (80 g) sweetened condensed milk
⅛ teaspoon (0.7 g) fine salt
2 cups (about 4 scoops) (280 g) vanilla ice cream, frozen but slightly softened, 3–5 minutes out of the freezer
½ cup (120 ml) whole milk, cold
¾ cup (100 g) ice cubes
½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) vanilla extract
To finish
1 teaspoon (2 g) unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting (optional)

Equipment (8)

Blender (standard or high-speed)
Small saucepan (2-quart / 2-liter) for the water bath
Heatproof bowl (1.5-quart / 1.5-liter) that sits snugly over the saucepan
Instant-read thermometer
Whisk
Larger bowl for the ice bath
Vietnamese phin filter, moka pot, or espresso machine
2 tall glasses (12–14 oz / 350–400 ml)

Steps

Before you start

Brew the coffee first. It needs about 30 minutes to chill completely, and warm coffee will melt the ice cream into a thin shake.
Put two tall glasses in the freezer now so the shake stays thick as you drink it.
Raw yolks are not safe for everyone. This recipe heats them to 160°F (71°C). You can use pasteurized yolks instead, and then you can skip the stovetop steps.
Have an instant-read thermometer and a bowl of ice water ready before you start the yolk base.

1
Brew and chill coffee
- Brew ½ cup (120 ml) of very strong coffee using a phin filter, moka pot, or espresso machine.
- Pour it into a small jar or bowl and chill in the refrigerator, or set the jar in a bowl of ice water, for about 25 minutes.
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Ready when: Coffee feels cold to the touch on the outside of the container
Tip: Brew it stronger than you would to drink, because the milk and ice cream dilute it.
2
Set up water bath
- Pour about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water into a small saucepan and set over medium-low heat.
- Bring it to a bare simmer with small bubbles at the edges.
- Set the larger bowl of ice water nearby for step 4.
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Ready when: Water is steaming with a few small bubbles, not boiling
Tip: The bottom of the heatproof bowl must not touch the water, or the yolks will scramble.
3
Cook the yolk base
- In the heatproof bowl, whisk the egg yolks, condensed milk, and salt until smooth and pale.
- Set the bowl over the saucepan and whisk constantly, scraping the bottom and sides, for 3–4 minutes.
- Check with the thermometer.
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Ready when: The mixture thickens slightly, looks glossy, and reads 160°F (71°C) on a thermometer
Tip: If the edges start to look cloudy or lumpy, lift the bowl off the heat and whisk hard.
4
Chill the base
- Immediately set the bowl in the larger bowl of ice water and whisk for 1 minute.
- Let it sit another 4 minutes, whisking once or twice, until it is cool to the touch.
- Stir in the vanilla.
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Ready when: Base feels cool, not warm, when you touch the outside of the bowl
5
Load the blender
- Add the cold milk, chilled coffee, and cooled yolk base to the blender jar.
- Top with the softened ice cream and then the ice cubes.
- Adding liquids first helps the blades catch.
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Tip: If your blender is small, blend in two batches rather than overfilling it.
6
Blend until thick
- Blend on low for 10 seconds, then on high for 30–45 seconds.
- The shake should be pale tan, thick, and frothy with no ice chunks.
- If it is too thick to move, add 1–2 tablespoons milk and pulse twice.
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Ready when: Smooth, pale tan, and thick enough to coat a spoon, with no ice chunks
Tip: Don't over-blend, since heat from the motor thins the shake.
7
Serve right away
- Pour the shake into the chilled glasses, tapping the blender jar to get the foam out.
- Dust each with a little cocoa powder, if using, and serve immediately with a wide straw and a long spoon.
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Ready when: Shake holds a thick, frothy top in the glass
Tip: This shake is best within 10 minutes, before the foam settles.

Good to know

Tips

Use a dark-roast, robust coffee, ideally Vietnamese robusta, for the traditional bold, chocolatey flavor.
Chilling the glasses and the base keeps the shake thick and frosty for longer.
Check the temperature of the yolk base with a thermometer rather than guessing, since it ensures both safety and smoothness.
Add the ice last. Too much ice dilutes the flavor, so blend with less ice if you prefer a creamier shake.

Make ahead

"Cook and chill the yolk base up to 24 hours ahead. Cover it and refrigerate. Brew the coffee up to 2 days ahead and keep it chilled. Blend just before serving."

Storage & reheating

"Best served immediately. Leftover shake keeps covered in the freezer for up to 1 day. Re-blend it with a splash of milk to loosen it, because it freezes hard. The cooked yolk base keeps in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Do not leave the shake at room temperature for more than 30 minutes."

Substitutions

large egg yolks → 3 pasteurized egg yolks. Skip the stovetop steps and simply whisk them with the condensed milk and salt before blending.
vanilla ice cream → coffee or dulce de leche ice cream. Gives a deeper flavor. Reduce the condensed milk to 3 tablespoons (60 g) if the ice cream is very sweet.
whole milk → oat milk or coconut milk. Gives a dairy-lighter or more tropical flavor. Use full-fat versions for the best body.
very strong brewed coffee (Vietnamese dark roast, phin or espresso) → 2 shots of espresso, chilled. Use about 60 ml (¼ cup) and add 60 ml extra milk to keep the volume right.